


Bro

by hybridempress



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, M/M, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-04-06 23:56:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4241508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hybridempress/pseuds/hybridempress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur Kirkland has been at Alfred's throat ever since the Brit had started working with him. On a day when Arthur had been particularly douchey to Alfred, the two men get into a fight that leads to a shocking confession from Arthur.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bro

    "You have  _got_  to be kidding me."  
  
    Alfred groaned loudly as he leaned back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. He pushed his hands through his hair and sighed as he stared at the screen of his office computer. "I can't believe this. I can't  _believe_  this!" he shouted.  
  
    His coworker from the cubicle beside him, a man by the name of Mathias, pushed his chair back far enough so that he could look over and see Alfred. "What's got you all worked up this morning,  _kammerat?_ " he asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
    Alfred groaned again. "That  _douchebag_  Kirkland put me on  _standby_  for that big project I really wanted in on!" he answered angrily.  
  
    "Uh... Alfred, don't you think that maybe you're overreacting just a  _little?_ " Mathias asked. "I mean hey, you're on standby, so there's still a chance you'll get to help out."  
  
    "Are you kidding me!?  _Everyone_  knows that  _standbys_  never get to do  _anything!_  They're just there as a 'precaution'. They don't bring standbys in until like five people are off the job!" Alfred exclaimed.   
  
    "Well... Maybe you'll get lucky...?" Mathias offered, trying to make his friend less upset.  
  
    "I'm like fifty times more qualified to be on that project than any of the dillweeds he put on the team! They're all basically newbies!  _He's letting newbies go to New York to fix super fancy computers and I'm on fucking_   _ **standby!**_ "Alfred practically screamed.  
  
    "Maybe he just wanted to give the newbies a shot to prove themselves, yanno? Put 'em out in the field for the first time. Help 'em out?" Mathias suggested.  
  
    "Since when does Kirkland care about helping newbies? He's the douchey supervisor that everyone hates! His job is to make life a living Hell for the newbies!" Alfred shouted.  
  
    "Maybe he's trying to redeem himself...?" Mathias asked.  
  
    "Like hell he is. Listen, Mat, that guy's had it out for me ever since he started working here. He's always giving me dirty looks, stealing my promotions and giving me the shitty jobs! It's like his only purpose in life is to make me angry!" Alfred fumed.   
  
    "I'm sure that's not true, Alfred. Are you sure you're not just jealous of him because he became supervisor and you didn't?" Mathias inquired.  
  
    "No, I'm not just  _jealous._  Okay, maybe I am jealous of his job position, but that's  _not_  the only reason I hate him! First of all,  _I_  should have been supervisor because I've been working here longer than he has! Second of all, I wouldn't be as mad about him stealing my job if he had gotten it fair and square, but he didn't! He sabotaged my project and  _I_  got blamed for it! And third of all, I am  _not_  imagining any of this! He's the worst person  _ever_  and he has it out for me!" Alfred yelled.  
  
    Mathias sighed "Alfred, calm down, please. You're making a scene!" he pointed out.  
  
    "I don't care, man! I really don't. I mean c'mon. What the hell did I ever do to that guy, anyways? Why does he hate me so much?" Alfred asked.   
  
    "I dunno,  _kammerat._  Maybe you should ask him," Mathias replied.  
  
    Alfred scoffed. "Yeah, right. If I even so much as step ten feet in front of him without him asking me first he'll find some way to have my ass fired," he grumbled.   
  
    Mathias sighed again. "Look, I'll help you figure out something later, okay? Can we just get back to work now?" he asked.  
  
    "Yeah, sure. Whatever," Alfred replied.  
  
    " _Tak,_ " Mathias said.  
  
    He pulled his seat back to his desk and disappeared from Alfred's sight. Alfred sighed heavily again and also pulled himself closer to his desk. He pursed his lips and began what he knew would be a long day of work.   
  
    Alfred worked until about 1:00 PM, at which point he decided to take his lunch break. Typically, he brought his lunch to work everyday and kept it in the fridge in the break room. He didn't like leaving the office for lunch. He'd much rather eat quickly and have some time on the internet before he had to work again than spend his entire lunch break at some restaurant.  
  
    He stood up from his chair and left his cubicle, walking to the back of the rather large room he worked in to get to the door to the break room. He grabbed the handle and pushed it down, opening the door and pushing it open so that he could get inside. His eyes scanned the room as he walked to the fridge. It didn't look like there was anyone else in there at the moment.   
  
    When he got to the fridge, he grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. He expected to see his Tupperware of Hamburger Helper mac'n'cheese on the middle shelf, because that's where he had put it earlier that morning, but it wasn't there.  
  
    Alfred raised an eyebrow and squatted down a little so that he could dig through the other things that were in the fridge, hoping to find his lunch. It didn't take long, since there was almost nothing else in the fridge. Unfortunately, all he could find was the can of Coke that he had also put in there that morning.   
  
     _Fuck..._  he thought to himself as he stood up and closed the door to the fridge.  _Guess I'm gonna have to go eat at McDonalds today._ Normally he wouldn't have minded that, but he was pissed that someone had gotten rid of the lunch that he had already planned on eating that day.   
  
    "Need help finding something, Jones?"   
  
    Alfred jumped slightly at the voice, having not expected it. Internally, he groaned. He knew right away who that cynical and sarcastic British accent belonged to. He turned around to have his suspicions confirmed. Arthur Kirkland was standing right behind him with his arms crossed and a smug smirk on his face.  
  
    "Jesus Christ, Arthur. You gave me a heart attack," Alfred grumbled, furrowing his brows.  
  
    Arthur turned his nose up a bit at Alfred's comment. "That's blasphemy, Jones. I won't tolerate that in my work space," he said.  
  
    Alfred rolled his eyes. "Sure. Whatever," he said. He then crossed his arms in front of his chest and narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "I don't suppose you know what happened to my lunch, do you?" he asked.  
  
    Arthur shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I suppose that depends on what it was," he answered.  
  
    "It was a Tupperware of pasta. Mac'n'cheese with ground beef in it," Alfred said, his tone becoming increasingly more and more unamused.   
  
    "Oh dear, I do believe I threw it away by mistake. Something was stinking up the fridge and I just assumed it had been left there for a few weeks. I'm sorry," Arthur said sympathetically.  
  
    "Like hell you are!" Alfred shouted. He couldn't believe that douchebag had actually thrown his lunch away!  
  
    "Language, Jones," Arthur scolded, clucking his tongue disdainfully.  
  
    "No, you just shut up for a minute, Kirkland! What the hell is your problem with me!? What the hell have I ever done to you!?" Alfred demanded.  
  
    "My, I have no idea what you're talking about," Arthur said.  
  
    "Yes you do, dammit! Stop pretending to be innocent when you know you're not! Ever since we've met you've been at my throat! You're always screwing things up for me! At first it was just little things like stealing my parking space or 'accidentally' bumping into me and knocking me over, but the more power you got here, the worse things started to get for me! And I wanna know why!" Alfred shouted.  
  
    Arthur shook his head, giving Alfred what looked like a sad smile. "Honestly, Jones, I really have no idea what you're talking about. Have you ever considered the thought that maybe I'm just a better worker than you are? Or that you're just simply too sensitive? Or unlucky? Nothing that's happened to you is my fault," he said.  
  
    Alfred was getting more and more furious by the second. He wanted to start pulling his hair out. He was about ready to scream. Words could not describe his unbridled hatred for Arthur at this very moment.  
  
    "Oh my  _God,_  I can't fucking believe you, Arthur! You're such a fucking  _douchebag!_  I don't even know how you can make yourself look like an angel in front of the managers! Like what are you doing to them to have them wrapped around your little fingers? Blackmailing them? You're the most horrible person on the face of this planet! I fucking hate you!" he yelled.  
  
    "Oh, well, if that's how you feel about me, love, I'm sure I can talk to someone upstairs and have you removed from your position," Arthur said softly, not loosing his cool for even a moment.   
  
    Alfred had had enough. He yelled out in frustration and walked towards Arthur until he was close enough to deliver a good punch. He pulled his arm back and balled his hand into a fist. He launched his fist forward, fast enough to deliver a hard blow to his jaw and maybe knock some teeth out, but Arthur wouldn't have that.  
  
    In one swift movement, Arthur moved his own hand in front of his face and caught Alfred's punch. Arthur didn't so much as flinch or step backwards as Alfred's fist hit his palm. He closed his fingers around Alfred's hand, digging his nails into Alfred's skin ever so slightly.   
  
    Alfred's jaw dropped. His eyes widened and he stared at Arthur in shock. This was definitely an unexpected turn of events.   
  
    "Bro..." he whispered, blinking a few times before continuing to stare at Arthur.   
  
    After a few moments, Arthur let go of Alfred's hand and crossed his arms again. He averted his eyes, seemingly feeling uncomfortable under Alfred's admiring stare. "If you pick up an extra work shift this week, I won't speak a word of this to anyone," he mumbled.  
  
    This seemed to snap Alfred out of his shocked daze. "Wait, what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
    "Are you deaf, Jones? I said I wouldn't say anything about this little incident if you picked up an extra shift this week," Arthur repeated, still keeping his eyes away from Alfred.  
  
    "Why are you letting me go? I thought for sure you'd have my ass fired like instantly," Alfred said.  
  
    "I have my reasons," Arthur said plainly.   
  
    "No, Arthur, that's not- That's not good enough, dammit! You've been tormenting my ass for just over a year now, and suddenly you're deciding to cut me some slack? I deserve an answer!" Alfred shouted.  
  
    "I'm letting you keep your job. I've shown enough kindness to you for the day already. I don't owe you anything," Arthur said.   
  
    Alfred shook his head in anger and disbelief. "Fine. Whatever. Y'know, I hate this job anyways, and I'm sick of working with  _you._  If you're not going to have me fired, then I'll just go tell the boss I quit," he said.  
  
    He glared at Arthur one last time before turning on his heels and walking towards the door to the break room. Arthur's eyes widened and he finally looked at Alfred again. "A-Alfred wait!" he pleaded.  
  
    Alfred stopped in his tracks. He stood still for a moment before turning slightly to look at Arthur with narrowed eyes again. "Did you just call me Alfred...?" he asked.  
  
    "Alfred, I'm sorry. Please don't go," Arthur said, his voice sounding almost desperate.   
  
    "I-I don't understand..." Alfred muttered incredulously. "Goddammit Arthur, would you be straight with me for once? You act like you hate me more than anything for a year and now suddenly because I tried to punch you in the face you're being nice to me?"   
  
    Arthur sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Alfred, okay? I'm sorry. I know I've been the biggest bloody twat in the world ever since we've met, but I don't hate you, and I never have," he said.  
  
    "Then why the hell do you always treat me like shit?" Alfred demanded.  
  
    "Oh, I don't know, okay!? It's because you were everyone's favorite person in the whole world! You were the friendly guy who's been here for years and shows all the new people around and tells the stupid jokes that make everyone laugh and you're the hard worker that all the managers love and you're just that perfect employee who has the perfect smile and the perfect personality and the perfect laugh and the perfect eyes and I had to be better than you because I had to impress you because I wanted you to notice me but somewhere along the line I took it too far and I didn't know how to go back and I'm no good at all at dealing with feelings, okay!? That's why!" Arthur shouted.   
  
    Alfred narrowed his eyes again. "Wait, you've been a douchebag to me all this time because you had a  _crush_  on me...!?" he asked.  
  
    Arthur blushed darkly. "Yes, okay!?" he replied.  
  
    Alfred sighed heavily and dragged his hands down his face. "Goddammit Arthur, you could've told me this a year ago and saved us both a shitload of trouble. Hell, I probably would have told you I thought you were cute too!" he shouted.  
  
    "Oh God... I've ruined everything, haven't I?" Arthur asked, his face starting to go pale.  
  
    Alfred sighed again and looked at Arthur. "I didn't say that," he said. "Look... I'm hungry, and I need lunch. If you wanna come with me, go ahead. If you wanna buy for me, then maybe we can talk things out," he suggested, turning back towards the door and grabbing the door handle.   
  
    "I... Do you really mean that?" Arthur asked.  
  
    "I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," Alfred said, pushing the door handle down and pulling the door open.   
  
    Alfred left the room, and Arthur followed him. The two left the office together and went to lunch at the closest restaurant to their building. Mathias happened to see them as they were leaving, and when he saw Arthur's small smile and the light pink tint in his cheeks, he knew what was up immediately.  
  
     _Well,_  he thought to himself, resisting the urge to chuckle,  _looks like work's about to get a lot easier for Alfred._

**Author's Note:**

> Got the idea from a prompt off of tumblr. It was something like "I tried to punch you in the face but you caught my fist in your hand and I was so impressed that all I could do was whisper 'Bro...' and now we're dating AU"
> 
> Anyways, this is a birthday present for my husband Aza. I wanted to write her something longer but I didn't have enough time to write a fucking steampunk series fanfiction for her birthday so this will have to do for now, and I'll write up the steampunk au for her as soon as I finish Forelsket lmfao (or maybe sooner depends on my motivation lmao)
> 
> Anyways. I'm sorry it's short baby but I hope you like it anyways!! I love you so very much, happy birthday !!


End file.
